Chapter 4 & 5

1. Chapter 4 & Chapter 5

2. Rule of the law is distributed unequally in Brazil. "brown zones" are criminalized by the elite and the middle class. Absence of the state means that local gangs provide alternative rule of law.

3. Chapter 4 opens with a story about Gerson, Glorias ex-partner and their son Pablo. Upon Gerson finding out about his sons death he cried, although he never knew the boy. Gloria finds it funny because she did even cry after he passed because of all the trouble he caused.

3.1. Pedro believed that as long as he put food not the table and provided for his family he could have as many woman as he wanted. (common belief)

3.2. Gloria explained that while a bad event was happening it was not funny nor ok to laugh, but when it was over and things had settled it was ok to make a joke out of the bad thing that happened.

3.3. Brazil's "street children" or "dead end kids"- about 200,000 living on the street in terrible living conditions and vulnernable to assault.

3.3.1. Home children (nurtured children)- take on responsibility at an early age.

3.4. Telling "funny" stories about horror and pain was the way for the black community of woman to connect

3.5. Protection of children...Gloria's goal is to make her kids become honest workers by punishing them harshly. "being cruel in order to be kind"

3.5.1. Cruelness needs to be interpreted in a way that shows how much she loves her family and how hard she works to keep them together.

4. Chapter 5

4.1. Rio is one of the most unequal cities in the world. Many local gangs and harsh gang leaders. The middle class and their demand for drugs fuels the gangs activity.

4.1.1. People very commonly become part of a gang involuntarily in order to supply themselves with the goods

4.2. Colluding- to act together through a secret. i.e. police who are bandits and bandits who are police. Many off duty police killings by police-bandits.

4.2.1. Police are scared of being targeted in killings and join gangs to protect their livelihood.